"I stopped hiding it"
For years Bill hid his vision loss from others. He was self-conscious about it. Then, he decided to open up.
Hadley
I stopped hiding it
Bill: When I first started losing my sight, you're kind of embarrassed about it. So, you try to hide it from people. And I mean, I did that for years.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Bill: My name is Bill Hartman. I live in Tampa Bay, Florida, and I have retinitis pigmentosa.
I guess one of the hardest things when I first started losing my sight. I was, and I hear a lot of people tell me this too, you're kind of embarrassed about it, I guess or self-conscious about it. So, you try to hide it from people. And I mean, I did that for years.
And as soon as I stopped doing that and just wasn't trying to hide it anymore, and just would tell people when I met them, like, look, if I miss a handshake or something because I can't see you, it definitely helps, rather than trying to act like you're not.
But once I realized telling people and people support you regardless if you're sighted or not, it wasn't that big of a deal. And it just definitely felt good to get that off my chest without having to worry about that anymore.
If you give people the opportunity to help you, they will. But you just got to give them the opportunity.
When I got the mindset of losing your sight isn't the end of your life, to me, I would just tell myself, okay, I got to figure out how to do this. I got to figure out how to do that. And as you start stacking those little building blocks up and start realizing all this stuff you still can do, it's actually really cool.
Marc: You never know who might need to hear your story. If you’d like to share with us, just leave us a message on our Insights & Sound Bites voicemail. By calling, 847-512-4867. Or, you can use your smartphone or computer and email us a recording to [email protected].
All Episodes
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Episode 35
For many, having to give up the car keys due to vision loss is traumatic. Deb felt it too. Then, during a call to arrange transportation for herself, a new door opened.
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Episode 34
Listen in as Anne describes how a question posed to her shifted her perspective for living with vision loss.
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Episode 33
This week, William shares how learning to continue with his favorite hobby, even with vision loss, has been therapeutic—and uplifting. Here's the link to his website https://www.blindtruths.org/
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Episode 32
This week Angela shares how she struggled to get around due to vision loss, how she tried to hide it from others, and what helped her.
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Episode 31
This week we hear from Appreciate. She found that a Facebook group, The International Blind Cafe, gave her a source of comfort and encouragement.
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Episode 30
Marian's inner voice had her living in fear. Listen in as she shares how she redirected that voice to be more helpful for her.
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Episode 29
This week Dorrie shares how technology has made all the difference for her in living with vision loss.
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Episode 28
Today we hear from Ed who shares how the source of hope for him has changed with time.
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Episode 27
Listen in as Cindy shares how advice from her son helped her adjust to her new normal.
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Episode 26
Listen in as Tim recalls a conversation with a store clerk and how it helped him adjust to life with vision loss.
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Episode 25
Listen in as Alice shares a boyfriend's advice from many years ago. Words that give her hope, even today.
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Episode 24
Listen in as Bill shares how a chance encounter changed his perspective on vision loss.